


Grathitha

by AmbidextrousArcher



Category: Mahabharata - Vyasa
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:07:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22858255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmbidextrousArcher/pseuds/AmbidextrousArcher
Summary: Rukmini- before her 'formal' wedding to Krishna.Title: Grathitha (Sanskrit)- Bound together.
Relationships: Krishna (Hindu Religions & Lore)/Rukmini (Mahabharata), Rukmini & Subhadra (Mahabharata)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 17
Collections: Rangabhumi Round Two: An Indian Mythology and Lore Fanfic Exchange





	Grathitha

**Author's Note:**

  * For [weaslayyy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/weaslayyy/gifts).



> For the prompt: Krishna/Rukmini-shipper fic.  
> This ended up being more Rukmini and Subhadra than Rukmini/Krishna, and I'm sorry for that, but I hope you like it anyway.

Rukmini tilts her head to Krishna., a mischievous smile on her face. “You vain man! I should never have written those words. ‘Bhuvan Sundar’, indeed.” Krishna laughs back at her. “You like me fine the way I am, priye.” His voice goes soft at the end. _I do,_ Rukmini thinks. _Oh, how I do…_

“Bhraata Krishn!” Krishna rolls his eyes and looks behind him. Subhadra is nearly bouncing as she walks to them. “Mata gave this for Bhabhishree.” It is a delicate silk saree, painstakingly made. Rukmini knows that it took a lot of effort, especially in the circumstances she knows them to be in.

“Thank you.” She keeps her voice quiet. She has an idea of these people. They are proud. They do not like to be patronized. Subhadra bats at Krishna’s shoulders. “Bhraatashree! You are not supposed to be here!” She takes her brother by the shoulders and shoos him out. “Subhadrey! I was the one who brought her here, if you remember!” “I do. But you know how Mata and Pitashree are like. I allowed you as much time as I could.”

Krishna raises an eyebrow. “Really!” protests her sister-in-law. “I distracted them for this long.” She looks between the both of them. “Now, shoo! You’ll be together all the time after this, won’t you?” Krishna shoots her a long suffering look, but he goes. Subhadra turns to her. 

“Brothers.” The word is a huff, and Rukmini laughs. Subhadra grins back. “I agree with you, Subhadra.” She keeps her voice amused, but deep inside, she feels a gnawing guilt at the memory of her brother on his knees, Krishna’s Sudarshana cutting an arc towards him. _Krishna did not hurt him._ Rukmini is glad for that, for, whatever happened between them, Rukmi is still her brother.

“Bhabhishree?” “Subhadrey.” Subhadra smiles at her. “Lost in thought?” “Well, I am waiting to be escorted to my vivaah mandap, I think I am expected to…” She nods. When Rukmini had been thinking, Subhadra had deftly manipulated her hair into an intricate plait.

“So.” Rukmini tilts her head to Subhadra. “Bhraata Krishn.” There is faint disbelief in Subhadra’s voice. “Krishna.” Rukmini’s voice is soft. “I am curious. How did _he_ end up with _you?_ ” “You are his sister, indeed.” “That I am.” “Sit.” The younger woman kneels down, adjusting Rukmini’s pallu. “Be careful, Bhabhishree. Dwarka is hardly Vidharba. You could trip and fall easily here.” “Ah, yes. Dwarka is no more than an outcrop of rocks right now, isn’t it?”

She had not meant to sound condescending, yet that is how it came out to be. To Rukmini’s eyes, used to the splendor of Vidharba, Dwarka was…underwhelming, to say the least. The rough-hewn nature of the fledgling city is something she is not used to yet. Subhadra says nothing for a moment, but when she replies, her voice is fierce. “It is home. That is beauty enough for us.” “Of course. I did not mean to offend-“ “No offence taken, Bhabhishree.” But the tightness in Subhadra’s voice tells Rukmini the truth. There is an awkward silence for a beat, and then Rukmini says, forcing herself to be cheery, “I was telling you a story, Subhadra.” “Oh?” “Our story. Mine and Krishna’s.” Subhadra’s head is cocked attentively towards hers. And Rukmini begins.

In no time, she loses herself in the telling, the memories. Their long, familiar correspondence, Krishna’s little quirks (the man sent her peacock feathers and roses with each letter, after all, even the political ones), the decision they took together, the daring escape they made.. She tells Subhadra of Krishna’s disguise, their hasty vows, their shared determination. Subhadra laughs at the thought of her brother disguising himself as a royal guard of Vidarbha. “He pulled it off?” She completes her own sentence. “Of course he did. It is Kanha. He can pull off anything.” Rukmini smiles at the certainty in Subhadra’s voice. “You two deserve each other. I wash my hands off it!” Subhadra makes an annoyed face. Rukmini raises her eyebrows. Subhadra’s façade cracks, and she is laughing unabashedly.

Mata Devaki enters then. Rukmini tenses. _The moment she had been waiting for is here._ “Putri,” she says, extending a hand. There is a solemnity in the moment, as she takes the Queen’s hand.

Krishna is there at the Mandap. He meets her eyes. All around them, flowers are floating in the air, or so it seems to Rukmini. She puts her hand in his. _I can trust him with my life._ They perform the rituals together, the wedding hymns reverberating in the air. _I am his and he is mine. Forever._ In Krishna’s eyes, she sees the same calm certainty she herself feels. _We go together, wherever we go._ With that, they turn and step into the populace of Dwarka, surrounded by cheers and well-wishers.

 _And so, I am reborn. Forged anew._ Rukmini smiles at her husband. He smiles back. _And that is enough._

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like this, Maya di! There are (hopefully) two more works coming right up!  
> If you don't like this, drop me a message, I'll rewrite it for you.


End file.
